Favre Saga Finally Drawing to a Close

Viking Update Staff

08/06/2008

The whole Brett Favre trade issue finally seems to be coming to a merciful end, even if he won't end up playing for the Vikings.

The long, winding and never-ending saga of Brett Favre is expected to end within the next day or two after the divorce between the future Hall of Famer and the Green Bay Packers became imminent Tuesday.

After a couple of marathon meeting sessions, Favre and the Packers officially split, ending the possibility of his return to play in Green Bay. What was viewed by optimistic Vikings fans as a chance to land one of the best QBs of all time also landed flat. Part of the discussions between the two sides made it clear that Favre has no intention of playing with Green Bay anymore, but the team is just as adamant that they won't trade him within the division.

Favre apparently is finally willing to accept that edict from the team that he won't be coming to Minnesota or Chicago. Instead, his attention has been turned to the two teams that were thrown out as the primary possibility three weeks ago – Tampa Bay and the New York Jets. Favre has apparently had contact with both teams and a deal is expected to be closed within the next day or two. A story in today's Tampa Tribune says the Bucs will land Favre as early as today.

Favre has given his blessing for a trade to the Buccaneers, but the question of compensation still remains. While that could prove to be something of a road block of its own, the feeling is that the Packers could lower their demand down to a third-round pick just to have the matter done with and end the circus atmosphere that has surrounded this story for a month.

For Vikings fans who were hopeful Favre could be wearing purple, that wish appears to be dead in the water. Packers officials have maintained throughout the process that the team wouldn't be willing to trade Favre within the division, although reports last week that have since been refuted had it that the Packers had opened up the potential for trade talks with the Vikings – a charge Vikings head coach Brad Childress denied.

With the Favre tale of woe apparently down the stretch run at this point, Vikings fans can still take heart. Granted, he isn't coming here to play, but he will officially be leaving the NFC North and won't be the bi-annual headache he was to Brad Childress and the Vikings in the past. Now it looks like he'll only be a pain in Week 11 when the Vikings head into Tampa to meet the Bucs.

WEDNESDAY NOTES

DE Brian Robison is back in the Twin Cities where he is expected to have minor surgery to repair a varicose vein in his left leg. The surgery isn't deemed serious and he is expected to miss only a couple of weeks and should be ready for the final preseason game or two. With the Vikings thin at depth at the DE position, getting both Robison and Ray Edwards healthy before the games count for real is imperative.

Perhaps one of the reasons Tampa Bay was suitable as a trade partner for the Packers is that, while in the same conference and on the 2008 schedule, Favre wouldn't be coming back into Green Bay to play. The Packers-Bucs matchup this year will be in Tampa, but you can bet that rating will shoot through the roof if Favre gets a chance to play against his former team.

Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will be on the sidelines Friday for the preseason opener with quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers moving up to the booth. That is expected to be the standard operating procedure for at least the preseason.

Marcus McCauley is expected to miss Friday's game with Seattle but should return next week after injuring his knee during the combined practice with the Chiefs last week. Garrett Mills, who rolled an ankle after colliding in the end zone with Madieu Williams, is still on the shelf.

If the commissioner's office is going to rule on Bryant McKinnie any time soon, Roger Goodell may be setting a precedent with the announced suspension of Brandon Marshall. Marshall, who has been arrested three times in the last year, received a three-game suspension Tuesday.

Former Viking Nate Burleson is emerging as the No. 1 receiver in Seahawks camp with Deion Branch still recovering from offseason ACL surgery that may require him to start the regular season on the physically unable to perform list.

The NFL has created a fan code of conduct that will crack down on unruly fans. Among the things that can get rowdy fans tossed from games including unruly, disruptive or illegal behavior, intoxication (beware Packers fans), foul language, obscene gestures, throwing objects on the field, failure to follow instructions from stadium personnel or verbal or physical harassment of fans of the visiting team. This also applies to the behavior of guests who may be using the seats of ticket-holders. If those people are ejected from a game, those holding the season tickets are subject to having them revoked.